Fruit-picker



(No Model.) 2 sheets-#Sheet 1.4 A. HAAS.

FRUIT PIGKBR. Y No. 358,776. Paltented Mar. 1,1887.

WITNESSES l f if r ocr I (No Model.) 2 sheets-sneen 2. A. HAAS.

FRUIT PICKER.

No. 358,776. PatentedMar. 1,*1887.,

minessea o5 @M0/W0@ UNTTnn STATES PATENT Genion,

ABRAHAM HAAS, 0F PEKIN, ILLINOIS.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,776, dated March 1, 1.887.

Application filed February 4,1886. Serial No. 190,720. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM Hans, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pekin, in the county of rI`azewell and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FruitFickers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thcinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices known as fruit-picke1s,77 it being adapted to rei'nove without injury fruit from trees, shrubs, or vines at points so far distant that it cannot be reached by hand.

The device is intended to be so constructed that fruit may be detached from the parent stem without bruises, ents, or other injuries and placed upon the ground or in a proper receptacle in a sound condition.

A great many devices have hitherto been constructed having these en ds in view, and whilemiost of them have contained points of excellence it is claimed that the combinations in my improvement are absent from all others, and, as a whole, it is superior to any in use.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view. Fig'. 2 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the spring which forces the device to close over the fruit and operating certain of its mechanical parts; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my fruit-picker Y open and ready to receive the fruit, and also showing a part ofthe interior shield.

My device consists of the handle or rod A, to which is rigidly attached at a a concavoconveX balloon or pear shaped cup, B, constructed of metal or other sufficiently rigid material, the attachment being made at the smaller end of the cup, which is squared on three sides. A movable cup, C, similar in shape, is hinged within the cup B at b, the concave surfaces being opposite each other. At c on the cup C the tang 'd is firmly fastened, to the outer end of which the cord e is attached, which is rove through the slot f, running over the sheave or wheel g, as shown in Fig. 2. s

The spring F (shown in Fig. 3) is attached to the pin or hinge b, the extremities of which operate upon the squared ends of the cups B C to keep them closed when the device is in a normal condition. The springF is designed to be of sufficient lstrength to close the cups B G with force enough to cause the knife la, hereinafter described, to cut or break the stem of the fruit. rI`he cup C is made to slightly close within the cup B when the device is not in operation.

At h Within the cup C the knife It' is at tached, as is seen in Fig. 4, it conforming to the shape of the cup at that point, and describing a segment of a circle, the dimensions of which give it a sufficient cutting-surface, and on the inside of the cup B at t' is a segmental piece of leather or other proper substance, l, against which the knife 7a closes, preventing thecup C from entering the cup B farther than is desirable, and also preventing the knife k from be coming chilled by coming in contact with metal or other hard substance.

Vithinlthe cupsB C are the shields D E, the lower portions of which are of somewhat similar shape to the inclosingcups, which shields are 'fastened loosely to the cups B C by means -of rivets at m n, and which are flexibly hinged .or otherwise fastened together at o, as shown in Fig. 2, the object of said interior shields being to prevent the gathered fruit from becoming bruised, cut, or otherwise injured by dropping down into the contracted concavity of the cups B. C.

The shields l) E, in connection with the concavo-convex portions of parts B C, form a substantially closed receptacle having curved inner walls of such shape that they do not tend to mar or bruise the fruit, while at the same time the shields prevent the fruit from falling or getting between those parts of the picker which would tend to crush it while the parts B and C are closing.

In the operation of my device the person using it elevates it by the rod or handle A, so that the cups B C shall come in close proximity to the fruit designed to be gathered,holds it firmly in said position, and pulls upon the cord c until the cups B C open to a sufficient extent to admit the fruit. The cord is then suddenly loosened, the spring F closing the cups with a snap, and the knife 7c cutting or breaking the stem of the fruit, detaching it from the tree, vine, or shrub, the cups B Gand the shields D E meanwhile protecting itv from outside injury. When the cord is loosened, the shields D E close automatically by the action of the spring F upon the cups, and in oonnection with the said cups an approximately smooth interior surface is presented to the fruit, rendering it unlikely to become injured in the gathering. rIhe shields D E serve an important function in keeping the fruit at a distance from the hinge of the cups B C.

The device may be utilized as a tree or limb shaker, or may be used in knocking fruit to the ground which it is not desirable to have more carefully gathered.

I am aware that fruitgatherers havingjaws, one stationary and the other movable, and one or both carrying cutting-edges, are old. I am also aware that eXible bags have been conibined with such severingjaws,and so arranged as to prevent the fruit from falling between and being crushed by the jaws as they are brought together but a fruit-gatherer formed entirely of inexible materials-such as metal possesses many advantages, and such a fruitgatherer I have produced by the novel combination of parts herein described.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the metal cup parts B C, hinged together at their rear portions, of the metal shields D E,

respectively secured to the interior of said l cups and extending rearward, and their rear ends approaching each other closely forward Iof the hinge-uniting parts B and C,thus forming with the cups, when the parts are closed, asubstantially elosedfruitreceptacle,whereby they prevent the fruit from becoming crushed as the parts B O are closed, as described.

2. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with they forni a fruit-receptacle, and loosely con-v neoted with each other at their rear ends,and

situated wholly forward of the hinge of parts4 B C, whereby they prevent the fruit from be ing crushed as the parts B C are closed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix lny signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM HAAS.

Witnesses:

D. 0. Grrnsiviav,y JOHN FITZGERALD. 

